hen Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astounded and said, ‘Then who can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.’ — Matthew 19:23-26
As a “cradle Christian” I am sometimes a little envious of those who come to faith later in life. I mean, sure, it has been wonderful to know that God loves me, comforts me, heals me, reconciles me, welcomes me and goes with me since before I ever knew what it was to be alone, rejected, broken, hurting, or ignored; before I knew anger, hatred, guilt or shame. But having known it all of my life means I miss the thrill of that first discovery at a time when I can really appreciate it.
I wouldn’t trade it, mind you. I have been blessed to have experienced the Word of God spoken, sung, and acted out since birth. But this means that sometimes I miss past the power of the words when the are heard for the first time. Take the above passage, for example. I read it, and with years of Sunday School, Seminary, Bible Study and sermons behind me, I automatically go to “well, the ‘eye of the needle’ can refer to a narrow opening in a gate. On the other hand, some scholars point out that the word translated ‘camel’ is very close to the word for rope…” And I blow right past the fact that Jesus is saying something outrageous! Whether it is a camel trying to squeeze through a doggy door, or a ship’s line trying to be threaded to a sewing needle, it is a ridiculous image. It is meant to startle. It can even be funny. Jesus means to evoke a response. And he does. His closest followers are aghast at his words; “…they were greatly astonished.” My job as a preacher is to make it come alive again.
Jesus came to shake us out of our complacency. But it is not just our Savior who uses such rhetorical devices to get our attention. The teachers, prophets, priests, songwriters, evangelists, and apostles all use words and deeds to gain attention and to make the message stick. It was necessary to be heard, to be understood, and frankly, to compete.
Everything seems bigger, louder, and flashy-er that ever before. This is a time of extremes. This is an era of outrage. Just listen to talk radio. (Better yet, don’t!) For the past few years the word “unprecedented” has been used by newscasters and pundits so often that it has lost all meaning. For the past year we have lived in through an epidemic unlike anything we have seen for 100 years. We need a God who can meet us at the extremes. And we need a Word that will grab and hold our attention.
Go back to the Word. Listen to the voice of God. Let it surprise you.
Speak, O God, for your children are listening. Break through our complacency. Allow us to hear you above all the noise. Come to us in the quiet of our lonely room. Tell us again and again that you love us, and made us to act in love for each other. Calm our outrage for the experienced slight. Give us room for empathy. Send us on your new path. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.